Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100090 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 500(@200wpm)___ 400(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“It seems to me that guys should help someone who’s weaker than them.”
“I’m with you, buddy. And that’s one of the reasons I love you.”
Jake blinks at me, and it occurs to me that this might be the first time I’ve told him that I love him.
“Oh,” he says.
“Jake, I don’t just care about you or feel obligated to you. You’re here with me because I love you. Unconditionally. You’re my kid, you know?”
“Yeah.” He blinks fast, as if he’s fighting off tears. “Yeah, I know. I mean, I guess I know.”
He looks over at me and sniffs, and the image of this amazing kid lying in that bed upstairs, broken and hurting because a man who was supposed to protect him beat him forms in my head, and my heart slices as if it were yesterday.
“You’re my family, part of a really big family.” I smile over at him. “And sometimes that family is a pain in the ass.”
He nods. “It’s pretty great. I never had that before. And when I was younger, when my parents were still alive?”
I go very still. Jake never talks to me about his past. “Yeah?”
“It just sucked ass so bad.” He swallows hard and wipes at a tear impatiently. “Dad beat my mom up a lot. I think he was taking her to the hospital that day they died because he’d pounded on her that morning, and she was pretty hurt. I went to school because I had to get out of there. I wanted to help her, but whenever I tried, I was told not to. By her.”
“I suspect she was trying to protect you.”
He nods. “I was just a kid, but man, I wanted to kill him. And when they died, I wasn’t all that sad. I was kind of relieved, and I thought that made me a bad person.”
Shit, I want to cry for this boy and resurrect his parents so I can make them pay for what they put him through.
“And then I had to live with…them.” He swallows again and shakes his head. “And it was worse. I didn’t know it could be worse. I hope I’m not like them. That just because I have my bio dad’s blood in me, it doesn’t mean that I’m like him.”
“I’m so sorry, buddy.”
His dark eyes find mine again. “But you saved me. You didn’t have to, but you did. And you’re nothing like those assholes. You’re a good person.”
“I think I took one look at you and decided that you were mine. Like we were supposed to be together all along.”
“Maybe we were,” he says softly. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, I love you, too. Dad.”
I round my desk and pull Jake into my arms, hugging him close.
“You’re such a good person, Jake. You’re nothing like your biological parents, nothing like Wally. I promise you that. You’re so kind and genuine, and there isn’t a violent bone in your body. Unless you’re shooting zombies.”
“Yeah, I kill those suckers.”
He pulls back and grins up at me. He’s grown so much since he moved in here. It won’t be long until he’s about as tall as I am.
“Don’t ever wonder if you have your bio father’s tendencies inside of you, Jake, because you don’t. You just couldn’t.”
“I think I’m more like you, and that makes me happy.”
I didn’t know that I could feel so much pride from one simple statement. “Me, too.”
“So, since, you know, I’m calling you Dad and stuff, you said before that if I decided to, I could take your last name.”
I shove my hands into my pockets and nod at him. “Yes, I said that.”
“Would—” He licks his lips. “Would that still be possible?”
“You want to be Jake Wild?”
“If it’s okay with you.”
“Yeah.” I smile back at him as a grin spreads over his handsome face. “Yeah, that’s more than okay with me.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
POLLY
The summer is flying by. It’s already been six weeks since the summer soiree, and the five of us founders of the Collective are already planning the formal party for the fall. It’s been the busiest season for Pocket Full of Polly that I’ve ever had, and being grateful doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel.
For the first time since I opened the business, I feel like I’m well into the black when I balance my books, and I don’t feel like I have to keep a watchful eye on the bank balance every time I want to order new stock or contemplate hiring more part-time help.
I’ve even managed to squirrel away a good chunk of money for the Chanel bag I’ve had my eye on for about a million years.
Ryan has been in and out of town all summer, but true to his word, it’s never been for more than a few days at a time. Jake has even gone with him a few times, and Mac and I took turns seeing to the horses while the guys were gone.